Archim. Vitaly became de facto head of the ecclesiastical-patriotic organisation, Union of Russian People (Soyuz Russkogo Naroda), which figured in independence from economic exploitation and alcoholism, and established a People's Bank, providing low-interest credit to peasants.

1917: Revolution stunned Archim. Vitaly, who left for Movilev, wishing to serve a Divine Liturgy in the presence of the Tsar. He was denied access.

Archim. Vitaly arrested twice. First imprisoned with Metropolitan Anthony and Archbishop Evlogy in the Uniatemonastery of Buchach, then inside the walls of the church of the Cossack Graves, which he had built. Not allowing him to finish serving the Liturgy, his arresters led him to the underwater dungeon in Demblin, where he suffered interrogation and beatings. Fr Vitaly performed the Liturgy there, using his chest in place of an antimension. Through intercessions of other kind people, he evaded execution. On release, he served in the diocese of Belostok under Bp Vladimir.

Met. Anthony, through the help of the Serbian Patriarch, sponsored Archim. Vitaly to come to Serbia; from there, he went to Ladomirovo, Chezhoslovakia, called Vladimirovo by the Russians. He settled in a peasant hut, but a monastery formed around him. A printing press was given to him by the Lemkovo Student Committee.

1933: The Russian Church Press of St Job of Pochaev was incorporated and registered with the government - having been founded in 1618 and being run until 1918, it was reestablished in 1933. At the same time, he worked with formerly-Uniate parishes. The Church of Serbia had jurisdiction over these parishes, while the ROCOR had jurisdiction over the monastery and press.

1933: Abp Apollinary of North America and Canada reposed. After approximately six times that Archim. Vitaly refused the episcopacy, Met. Anthony told Archim. Vitaly that unless he accepted consecration as the bishop of America to replace Abp Apollinary, Met. Anthony would refuse to be his spiritual father. Archim. Vitaly accepted the consecration.

1934: Abp. Vitaly, for the sake of peace, removed the suspensions on Metropolitan Platon and his vicars.